by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY Sports

by John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK -- Jim Leyland isn't a big believer in the concept that there is momentum in baseball.

"It's like I always says, momentum is only as good as your next day's starting pitcher," the veteran Detroit Tigers manger said.

If that's the case then his Detroit Tigers seemingly have all the momentum in the world on their side after beating the New York Yankees 3-0 on Sunday in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.

The Tigers head home to Comerica Park with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and will have reigning AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander on the mound Tuesday night for Game 3. Phil Hughes will start for the Yankees.

"To come in here to Yankee Stadium and win both games, you've got to feel pretty good about that," Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson said. "Now, we've just got to carry that momentum home with us."

Anibal Sanchez, Sunday's starter, pitched like a Cy Young winner as he blanked the Yankees on three hits in seven innings. The right-hander who was acquired from the Miami Marlins in a late-July trade had seven strikeouts and three walks.

"Sanchez was terrific," Leyland said. "This is a tough place to pitch with a tough lineup, a short porch and a whole bunch of left-handed hitters. That was quite a feat."

Left-hander Phil Coke pitched two innings to complete the four-hit shutout and get the save as Leyland stayed away from closer Jose Valverde, whose career postseason ERA is 8.79 after he gave up four runs in 2/3 of an inning in Game 1.

Coke has only six regular-season saves in his five-year career. Leyland called Coke into his office prior to the game and said he might be used in a save situation.

"I think right now he's zeroed in pretty good," Leyland said. "Sometimes when you come in for just a hitter or two in the seventh, it can be a little different. But all of a sudden he had the responsibility on his shoulders and he reacted well."

The Yankees were playing their first postseason game without shortstop and captain Derek Jeter since 1981 and their October woes continues. The Yankees have scored just 20 runs in seven postseason games after finishing second in the major leagues in runs scored to the Texas Rangers in the regular season.

Jeter, who has an all-time record 200 postseason hits, suffered a broken left ankle Saturday night in Game 1 and will miss the remainder of the postseason. Jayson Nix, a journeyman who has played for five teams in his five-year career, went 0-for-3 in Jeter's place.

Second baseman Robinson Cano had a miserable day as his fielding blunder allowed the Tigers to score the game's first run. He also went 0-for-4, is hitless in his last 26 at-bats and is 2-for--32 (.063) in the postseason.

"You have to make adjustments," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We know they are doing to us. They are not going to put it on a tee for us. We know that. We are more than capable of scoring runs and have done it a number of times this year. We have to make adjustments."

A frustrated Girardi was ejected by second base umpire Jeff Nelson in the eighth inning after arguing that Omar Infante should have been called out on a play at second base.

Infante singled with two outs and then rounded second base too far when Jackson singled to right field. Television replays showed that right fielder Nick Swisher threw Infante out at second but Nelson ruled that he eluded the tag of Cano, the second baseman.

That turned out to be a key call as rookie pinch-hitter Avisail Garcia and Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera followed with RBI singles to push the Tigers' lead to 3-0.

The Tigers had broken a scoreless tie in the seventh on Delmon Young's force out grounder as Cano dropped the ball while trying to turn what would have been an inning-ending double play.

Hiroki Kuroda pitched well in defeat, allowing three runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts and no walks.

He was pitching on short rest for the first time in his 16-year professional career, including 11 seasons in his native Japan, as he started three days after getting a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

Kuroda retired the first 15 batters before losing his bid for a perfect game on Jhonny Peralta's leadoff single in the sixth. Kuroda also had seven strikeouts in the first three innings and the only ball that left the infield through the first six innings was Berry's fly out to center in the first.

"I hadn't seen much of Kuroda and I thought he was terrific," Leyland said.

The Yankees' best chance to score against Sanchez came in the sixth inning with the game still scoreless when he misplayed Ichiro Suzuki's leadoff bouncer for an error.

Suzuki moved to second and third on ground outs by Cano and Mark Teixiera, but after Raul Ibanez was intentionally walked, Russell Martin grounded out to shortstop on a checked swing to end the rally.

After that, the only thing the home fans had to cheer was a post on the scoreboard that showed that both the Jets and Giants had won their NFL games Sunday.

"We've put ourselves in a pretty big hole," Yankees designated hitter Raul Ibanez said. "Now, it's up to us to dig ourselves out of it."

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